Can You Freeze Chopped Kale (Raw)?

Kale's tougher, more fibrous leaves hold their shape slightly better through a freeze-thaw cycle than a more delicate green like spinach does, though the difference is modest — both still need the same blanching step first, and both come out considerably softer than they went in. Where kale has a real edge is in how well it takes to being frozen for a smoothie specifically, since its sturdier fiber blends into a smoother texture than a delicate leaf might, without leaving stringy bits behind. Frozen kale, like frozen spinach, doesn't need thawing before it goes into a hot pan or a blender — it can be added straight from the freezer either way.

Kale's tougher fiber means it doesn't need the delicate handling spinach does before freezing — there's no real benefit to massaging or pre-softening it the way some recipes call for with fresh kale meant to be eaten raw, since that softened texture gets overridden by blanching and freezing anyway.

Curly kale and the flatter, more tender lacinato (or dinosaur) kale variety both freeze similarly well once blanched, though lacinato's slightly thinner leaves collapse a touch more than curly kale's ruffled, sturdier structure — a difference worth knowing if a recipe's texture matters more than which variety happened to be on hand.

Baby kale, more tender than mature curly or lacinato kale, needs a shorter blanch before freezing to avoid overcooking its already-delicate leaves, similar to the adjustment made for baby spinach versus mature spinach leaves.

See Chopped Kale (Raw)'s full storage & shelf-life guide →